Begun as a retreat for the members of International Ladies" Garment Workers Union (ILGWU) Local 25, Unity House came under control of the General Executive Board of the ILGWU in 1925, and soon transformed the facility into a "workers" play land." In the decades that followed, Unity House's amenities included an amphitheatre for lectures, bungalows, and a chef, dietician, and on-site doctor for visiting ILGWU members and their guests.